all night long.
The next morning arrived too soon. To Jason, sunrise brought with it the beginning of the end.
As the sun peeked between the blinds, Lauren rolled over, propped on one arm. “Hi.”
“Hi, yourself.” He reached over and brushed a few strands of hair from her cheek, revealing a crease mark in her skin. “Sleep well?” he asked.
“All things considered, I guess so.” She seemed to pause in thought and he waited, letting her take the lead. She’d talk about whatever subject she was ready to tackle. He wouldn’t push.
“It’s over,” she said at last.
His stomach plummeted. Even knowing what was to come didn’t make the blow any easier.
“I don’t have anything left to put into the house,” she said, elaborating further.
Obviously his mind had been elsewhere and he scrambled to catch up with her conversation and ignore his rapidly beating heart.
“Before you jump to any big decisions, we don’t know the extent of last night’s damage or whether insurance would cover another incident. You might get lucky.”
Lauren drew a deep breath and shook her head. “You don’t understand. I’m finished. Done. I can’t deal with the house anymore and frankly I don’t want to. Besides, at this point the chances of me completing the project to buyer’s specifications on time are slim to none.”
He wanted to argue, if for no other reason than to lift her mood and give her hope, but in his heart he knew she was right. “What will you do?”
“I haven’t had time to think, but my gut tells me to just cut my losses and sell it as is. Hopefully someone will want a fixer-upper,” she said.
“Smart.”
She’d come to the only conclusion she could. From a business and monetary standpoint, the damage from the first fire had been extensive enough to put her deadline in jeopardy. Last night’s fire had merely compounded the cost and time involved, bringing her to the breaking point. And most importantly, from an emotional perspective, Lauren was obviously drained.
“Despite everything, I meant what I said last night.” Lauren’s voice softened as she changed the subject. Her beautiful eyes focused on him.
There was no mistaking what she meant.
“I love you, Jason.” She said the words anyway.
His heart swelled and broke at the same time.
They were the words he’d wanted to hear and she deserved to know he felt the same. “I love you, too.”
She reached for him and he came over her, his lips settling on hers, kissing her deeply, knowing in his heart they’d never have this moment again.
He paused only to grab a condom in the nightstand. Then they connected and he savored every moment, holding her, joining his body with hers.
They loved each other. And for this brief time, it was enough.
AN HOUR LATER, Lauren had showered and met Jason in his kitchen for breakfast. He’d run out for coffee and doughnuts. Since they’d never eaten dinner last night, she was starving.
Although she was emotionally drained, her body still tingled from making love with Jason. And that’s what they’d done. For the first time they’d made love with no emotional barriers between them. She’d felt it in every fiber of her being. Felt
Just as she felt his regard on her now. “What?” she asked, focusing on his steady stare.
“I was just wondering what’s got you so distracted?”
While showering, she’d been thinking about where they could go from here, and she spoke before she could chicken out. “Come with me,” she said to him.
“What?”
“Come with me to Paris,” she said, her excitement building now that she’d let herself say the words aloud.
Stunned, he slowly lowered his cup to the table. “And then what?” he asked, his enthusiasm nowhere in sight.
Panic enveloped her, hammering away at the heart she’d just given to him so openly. “Well, you could be with me when my designs debut. We could see Paris together. And then…” Her voice trailed off.
He reached out and placed his warm, strong hands over hers. “And then I come to New York and do what while you soar to the top of
“We’ll figure it out together.” But even as she spoke, she saw the light in his eyes dim.
“I know what it’s like to have goals and a dream. And without those things now, I’m lost.” He spread his hands in front of him. “Before you showed up, I was grumpy and nobody wanted to be near me. I thought I’d pushed past it, but lately I’ve been forced to admit…I don’t know who I am or what I want. But I do know I can’t live off your money and your success. I need to define my own.” His tone implored her to understand.
“I get it. And I respect what you’re saying, but-”
She’d learned at a young age not to push people for more than they were able to give.
Bracing her hands on the table, she rose to her feet. “I feel sorry for you, because you don’t know what you’re missing.” She wrapped her pride tightly around her and strode from the room.
It was so ironic. There had been too many people in her life who’d found her lacking, and now here was Jason, the love of her life, telling her she was too much for him. She couldn’t take it. Because though his reasons were different from her sister’s and her parents’, he was still doing the same thing. Rejecting her, who she was and what she offered him.
To hell with all of them. She couldn’t get out of this town fast enough.
LAUREN SPENT the rest of the day in a frenzy of activity. She called Sharon, who picked her up at Jason’s. Together they ran errands in town while Jason headed to the house to meet up with his crew.
First Lauren called on the real estate agent who’d arranged the original sale. The woman agreed to contact the buyers, explain the situation and ultimately refund their escrow money. Then once the insurance company inspected the new damage, Lauren arranged to relist the house-as is. On Sharon’s recommendation, Lauren hired a service to clean out the house, box the remainder of her grandmother and sister’s items, and give them to the Salvation Army.
A whirlwind morning and she’d accomplished more than she’d thought possible. In fact, she could get away from this town and its memories by nightfall.
Sharon accompanied her back to the house so she could fill Jason in.
“Are you sure you want to rush out of here?” Sharon asked, not for the first time this afternoon.
Lauren nodded as they walked up the front walk together. The acrid stench of smoke filled the air, reminding her of everything painful. “I’m sure. And I’m not rushing. If anything, I gave everything and everyone here plenty of chances. It’s past time for me to leave.”
Using her key, Lauren unlocked the front door and stepped back, letting Sharon precede her inside.
“Lauren, is that you?” Jason called out to her.
“Yes. I’m here with Sharon.”
“You’re never going to believe what I found.”
Lauren glanced at Sharon.
“Any clue?” her friend asked.
Lauren shook her head. “Not one. Let’s go find out.”
Lauren hadn’t been in the bedroom since last night and she wasn’t thrilled about going in there now.
Turned out she didn’t have to. Jason met her in the hall, the cat under one arm and what looked like a black velvet pouch in his other.
“What’s going on?” Sharon asked.
“That’s what I’d like to know!” Lauren said.
“Let’s go somewhere where it doesn’t smell so bad.” Jason handed Trouble to her and they followed him back down the hall.
“I couldn’t find the cat,” Jason said as soon as they were in the kitchen. “Last time I saw him he was stalking mice, but he was nowhere to be found. Of course he was in the last place I checked.”
